# The Willow explained — The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories > Chapter companion for The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy. ## What happens A peasant plants willow cuttings to make a hedge. Over many years, through repeated damage from sheep, lightning, and human use, only one tree survives and grows. It becomes a landmark for the village, providing shade and attracting bees. After the village is abandoned, the tree persists until children accidentally set it on fire while starting a fire to keep warm, ultimately killing it. ## Themes in this chapter ### Rural Life and the Landowner The entire narrative is a microcosm of peasant life: the practical use of the willow for hedging, firewood, and beekeeping, and the tree's endurance through the rise and fall of a farming household. ### Fate, Injustice, and Suffering The willow's long life is a struggle against repeated destruction (sheep, lightning, axes), ending in a seemingly pointless, accidental death by fire, highlighting the arbitrary nature of fate and decay. ## Key lines > The peasant thought: “I will fence my garden with willows; they will grow up and will make a good hedge!” The peasant's initial action is driven by a practical, utilitarian desire to improve his property. _Shows the human impulse to shape nature for personal benefit._ > The peasant that had set out the willow was long dead, and still it grew. The tree outlives its planter, becoming a persistent feature of the landscape. _Emphasizes the transience of human life compared to the enduring, though not permanent, life of nature._ > The children drove the horses home. The scorched willow was left all alone in the field. The children, unaware of the tree's history, cause its destruction and simply leave. _Highlights how profound endings can be caused by casual, ignorant actions._ > A black raven flew by, and he sat down on it, and cried: “So you are dead, old smudge! You ought to have died long ago!” A raven delivers a harsh, final judgment on the tree's long-delayed demise. _The raven's comment underscores a natural, unsentimental perspective on death and decay._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/leo_tolstoy_short_fiction_se/chapters/the-willow - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/leo_tolstoy_short_fiction_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/leo_tolstoy_short_fiction_se/chapters